Egyptian bloodletting. Illustration by Prosper Alpini (1553-1617), showing a man making incisions with a lancet on the backs of the legs of a patient

---

Egyptian bloodletting. Illustration by Prosper Alpini (1553-1617), showing a man making incisions with a lancet on the backs of the legs of a patient standing in a tub of water, with a physician at right. This was done to release blood from the patient. This practice, known as bloodletting, was thought to cure illness and disease.

---

Size: 2346px × 3732px
Photo credit: © NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: adult, africa, african, alpini, black, black--white, blood, blood-letting, bloodletting, cure, curing, cut, cuts, cutting, doctor, doctors, egypt, egyptian, female, group, healthcare, historical, history, human, incision, incisions, leg, letting, male, man, medical, medicine, men, monochrome, patient, people, person, procedure, prosper, release, releasing, science, small, technique, treating, treatment, white, women